Nis’s Highflyer
History Niš is the city with long tradition in pigeon breeding, which is understandable considering its geographical location. This town stands as a crossroad to many nations, armies and merchandisers for many centuries. Niš has notable historical heritage. In Middle Ages, Byzantines and Templars afterward, took part in some sort of sport, connected with pigeon breeding. Pigeons were especially trained to fly rapid, high in the sky were they were easy targets to, also dressed, falcons. It was the way of creating a new quality race of domestic highflyers. Pigeons were also fancied as ornamental birds, in medieval castles and Turkish harems. That was the beginning of breeding ornamental pigeons. After liberating from Ottoman Empire, local pigeon fanciers managed to create a new race of highflyers, suitable to their taste. They didn’t like the way of flying of Turkish pigeons, who often tumbled in the process, which implied continuously short and low flight. Predecessors of domestic highflyers, also had intensives colors. The race was founded at the start of 19th century. Their predecessors were local pigeons. About 1890 Nish fanciers mixed the race with flyer's from Greece and North Africa, in order to improve pigeons anatomy and morphology, and also to achieve longer continuous flight. But the results were not satisfying in improving the wings work, and pigeons flight was still rapid and sharp. Further selection, with interjection of oriental tumblers, renounced these undesirable characteristics. At the beginning of 20th century, development of pigeons breeding goes in two different directions: first, in order to breed pigeon, who will fly continuously long and high, calm and circular, with no tumbling; and second, to breed pigeon with intensive colors, beautiful beak and eyes. Afterwards, these two directions joined in one, hard to manage, demanding pigeon highflyer with beautiful exterior characteristics. First satisfying results were achieved in long continuous flight which lasts 4-6 hours. In the twenties of 20th century, fanciers manage to breed exemplars with intensive colors and with the other characteristics of modern Niš pigeon race. Basic characteristic of recent Niš highflyer is group, circular, calm and high flight, which lasts 4-10 hours. Also, important attributes are improved exterior characteristics with magnificent subtleness of head, eyes, beak and variety of intensive colors. Important characteristic is intelligence“; pigeons can return in their loft, even after the longest flight. Considering this value, local fanciers often say: „We own them, both in ground and sky“. First competition of Niš highflyers took place at Niš in 1928. First race description was announced in local paper „Odgajivač“ (Fancier) in 1954. National Yugoslavian Fancier Association registered competition rules and standards for this race in 1975. respectively. According to bylaw competition swarm must count 5-7 flyer's, and the result of best five flyer's is considered. Swarms start at strictly defined time, and five flyer's must rise in next 15 minutes, otherwise swarm is disqualified. After 12 hours from start, swarm need to reach determined height. Proper height is one, where you can’t see their wings, or even pigeon themselves. Swarm must reach the proper height for minimum 2/3 of overall flight duration. After 30 minutes, swarm is ordered to return at the reported spot, which is mostly 50 meters away of their loft. First hour, and last 30 minutes are considered, only if the pigeons fly on the proper height. Swarm need to achieve minimum four hours of flying. Standards Origin location: Niš, about 1800. At the and of 19th century mixed with Arab and Greek pigeons. Generalizes: Middle stature, well build, elegant figure, fast reflexes, rich feather and crest. Head: Round, oblong, wide and slightly convex brow. From the upper perspective head has a rhombic look. Crest is outspread from both ears, fancied with two sided effect, flower shaped, details. Eyes: Large and dark. Frames are doubled and smooth, standard color is white. Beak: Middle longness, pudgy and wide, from the upper side slightly wried to the top, color is white. Beak can be dark upside at the black-white pigeons. Neck: Middle longness. Ascend vertically above chests, then slightly narrows, up to the head, traversing to the chin in arrow shape. Chest: Wide, slightly con-vexed and rounded. Back: Wide, slightly rounded, sloping to the tail Wings: Quite long, strong, well compacted, attached to the body, lie on tail, shorter than tail. Tail: Long, with 12–16 wide feathers, spreading into the fan during flight. Legs: Middle longness, strong, unfeathered, red colored. color of nails is correlated with beak color. Feather: Shiny, hard, well attached. colors and patterns: Whitetail pigeons are bred in all colors. White colored are: Head, front part of crest, bib, forward feathers, down part of back, tail, and sometimes loin. colors are intensive, with metallic patterns on neck and chests. Stumbles Low and linear flight, getting out of sight, tumbling, dissociation from swarm, unsatisfied flight longness. Dissented figure. Too high and short neck, too big, or small, leveled and too long head. Recessed and narrow brow, anomalous crest (white, attached, cubic, tumbled), yellow and red eyes (narrow frames, wrinkled and red), slim and long or too short or massive beak. Pied, long and slim neck, narrow and slouched chests. Flabby and slouched wings. Mealy, fanned tail, render feather, long and feathered legs, motley nails, unintensive colors and irregular pattern. Evolution General impression – body attitude – head – brow – crest – eyes – beak – beak color – wings and tail – neck – legs – colors and pattern. See also *List of pigeon breeds Category:Domesticated pigeon breeds